Kirk Johansen devotes the majority of his law practice to clients in the forest products industry. He has extensive experience, beginning in 1975, representing owners of sawmills, veneer plants, Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) mills, plywood mills, and timberlands.

Kirk was raised in the coastal timber community of Coos Bay, Oregon.  He returned to Coos Bay after ‎finishing law school and a one-year clerkship on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  In his 12-year stint ‎practicing law in Coos Bay, Kirk was deeply involved in the legal and business affairs of a number of closely ‎held forest products companies in southwestern Oregon—providing the knowledge base to kick-start his ‎long tenured practice in the forest products industry.  In 1987, Kirk moved to Portland and became a ‎partner at Schwabe; the Schwabe platform enabled Kirk to diversify his practice both ‎geographically and in terms of industry business lines. ‎

Kirk worked as a timber cruiser and land surveyor in his law school years, has joined industry clients on business trips to Asia and Chile, and has practiced in the industry for nearly 41 years. He knows your industry from top to bottom.

Experience

• Assisted clients in the acquisition and disposition of millions of acres of timberland.‎
• Assisted clients in resolving numerous disputes with federal and state agencies which sell ‎timber sale contracts.‎
• Assisted clients in navigating the vagaries of the U.S. Small Business Administration set-‎aside timber sale program.‎
• Assisted clients navigating the vagaries of the federal log export and substitution rules.‎

Client Results

Memberships

• American Forest Resource Council, Member
• Oregon Forest Industry Council, Member

Awards

• U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers, “Law Firm of the Year” in Timber Law, Team Member (2015 and 2018)
• U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers, National Tier 1 Firm in Timber Law, Team Member (2015-2018)
• Best Lawyers in America Award, Natural Resources Law & Timber Law (1989-2023)

News

Community Activities

Former member of the Boards of Directors/Trustees of:‎

• Friends of the Children, Portland, serving two years as Chair
• Friends of the Children Scholarship Committee (Founder)
• The High Desert Museum
• The Marshfield High School Scholarship Committee
• The Western Resource Legal Center
• American Bar Association Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law Section
• Central Oregon Community College Foundation
• University Club, Portland, Oregon (President one year)

Services